Thursday, 6 February 2014

Yo Joe!

I just heard that G. I. Joe is turning 50 this year.

To my mind, the G. I. Joe: Real American Hero line that came out in the 1980s is the greatest set of action figures ever produced. They set a new standard for possibility that made Star Wars figures look pretty sad by comparison. Also unlike Star Wars figures (and many other lines), they could actually hold onto their guns. Most action figures produced these days are, by comparison, poorly sculpted and made of cheaper materials.

1 comment:

Too true! The real beauty of those GI Joe figures was the articulation of every major joint, to include the oft-ignored lower back. My siblings, friends, and I spent countless hours playing DHST, a miniatures game I designed ~20 years ago, using these figures and taking full advantage of their articulation to position our models realistically (or with a more cinematic flair, usually after a miniature took a clip to the chest at point-blank... fond memories!), something that cannot be done with today's action figures. Even though I've taught a few people DHST through college there aren't action figures worth using anymore.